Ford confirms end of the Fusion in 2020
- 说明
Ford confirms end of the Fusion in 2020
- Ford has confirmed that it will discontinue production of its D-segment sedan, the Fusion, in 2020. This sedan, which is at the heart of the sedan market in the United States, with its competitors Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Malibu and Hyundai Sonata, has been losing sales on the American market since 2015, in a general context of declining sedan sales and increasing SUV sales.
- Sales of the Fusion, whose origins date back to 2012, fell from 330,000 units in 2015 to less than 180,000 in 2018 and the first months of 2019 did not show any significant improvement.
- Ford indicates that the Fusion will not be replaced. The manufacturer wants to simplify its product offering on the American market and focus on SUVs and pick-ups. The problem is that with the upcoming disappearance of the Fusion, in addition to the Taurus (E segment), Focus (C segment) and Fiesta (B segment), there will no longer be any Ford sedans at all available on the American market, although this category still accounts for 30% of registrations in this region.
- Ford, like GM and Chrysler, will therefore leave the way clear for Japanese and Korean automakers (and to a lesser extent German automakers) to take over the sedan market. Notwithstanding, there is no indication that in the future, the market will turn around and opt for sedans again, in which case, the American sedan market would be dominated at the outset by foreign brands. The end of the Ford Fusion will coincide with the end of the Ford Mondeo - which is exactly the same car - in Europe.
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Inovev forecasts 50,000 new Kia X-Ceed per year
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Inovev forecasts 50,000 new Kia X-Ceed per year
- The Kia Ceed (C segment) has made a promising start in Europe (110,000 sales in 2008), but since 2013, sales of this model have stagnated at around 70,000 units, which is 65% of the volume recorded in 2008, despite its renewal in 2018. To boost sales of the model, Kia has decided to multiply the number of bodies of this model.
- After the sedan, station wagon and fastback bodytypes (Proceed), the Korean manufacturer is adding a fourth model (X-Ceed), different from the other three, due to its new four side windows and raised suspension.
- The X-Ceed is not really an SUV, but rather a crossover. It is located above the Stonic and below the Sportage in the manufacturer's catalogue. Given the success of crossovers and SUVs all over the world, it is likely that the X-Ceed will quickly become the best-selling of the Kia Ceed's various variants.
- The X-Ceed mainly targets Mercedes GLA, BMW X2 and Audi Q2. The Korean manufacturer is therefore primarily targeting Premium manufacturers. Among general manufacturers, this type of crossover is rarer, with the exception of the Volkswagen T-Roc or Ford Focus Active, which could be real competitors.
- The X-Ceed will use the engines of the other Kia Ceed, namely the 3 x 120 hp 1.0 petrol cylinders, 4 x 140 hp 1.4 petrol cylinders, 4 x 204 hp 1.6 petrol cylinders and 4 x 136 hp 1.6 diesel cylinders. It will be produced in the same factory in Zilina, Slovakia. Inovev expects 50,000 sales per year of the new X-Ceed, which will only be sold in Europe.
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The new Mitsubishi ASX will try to erase the failure of the Eclipse Cross
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The new Mitsubishi ASX will try to erase the failure of the Eclipse Cross
- The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross C-segment SUV launched in 2017, which was to gradually succeed the Mitsubishi ASX, whose origins date back to 2010, did not meet the success expected by the manufacturer. It seems that the model's tortured and controversial design did not please potential customers, and that its name, inherited from a renowned former sports coupé from the Mitsubishi brand, left customers perplexed.
- In 2017, the year of its launch, the Eclipse Cross sold 17,000 units worldwide for 150,000 ASXs, and in 2018 ,114,000 units for 160,000 ASXs. In 2019, when the Eclipse Cross should have far exceeded the ASX, the opposite happened.
- Over the first 4 months of 2019, the Eclipse Cross sold 25,000 units (an annual rate of 75,000 units) while the ASX exceeded 33,000 units (an annual rate of 100,000 units).
- The manufacturer has therefore decided to restyle the ASX once again (it had already been restyled in 2012 and then in 2016) rather than make aesthetic or technical improvements on the Eclipse Cross, which seems doomed in the short term.
- For Mitsubishi, this is a new generation of the ASX, and therefore a new model that will try to relaunch its career and make customers forget the commercial failure of the Eclipse Cross. This model will continue to be manufactured at the Mizushima site in Japan, alongside the Eclipse Cross. Inovev expects 150,000 units per year of the new Mitsubishi ASX.
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Inovev forecasts 100,000 new Mercedes GLB per year
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Inovev forecasts 100,000 new Mercedes GLB per year
- Mercedes has unveiled the standard version of the new C-segment SUV called GLB, which is in the manufacturer's range between the GLA (which has the same platform as the A-Class) and the GLC (which has the C-Class platform).
- The GLB is the family version of the GLA since it can carry up to seven passengers, two more than the GLA. The rear part of the vehicle has been modified relative to the GLA, as it is longer and more vertical. This design is actually similar to that of the old GLK (2007-2015) with its angular style.
- The wheelbase of the GLB reaches 2.83m, 13cm more than the GLA and 10cm more than the recent Class B minivan with the same platform.
- The Mercedes compact range is now complete with seven different models: Class A Hatchback, Class A Sedan, CLA Coupe, CLA Shooting Brake, Class B, GLA and GLB. The GLA will be renewed shortly.
- Unlike the other members of this family, GLB will be manufactured outside Europe in the new Mercedes plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico. It will also be manufactured in China (at the Beijing site, in partnership with BAIC) for the Chinese market. In 2018, more than 600,000 units of this Mercedes compact line were sold worldwide.
- The GLB is equipped with the same engines as the recent A-Class and B-Class.
- Inovev expects 100,000 sales per year of the new Mercedes GLB, including sales in China.
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The pruning of the American sedan range has begun
- 说明
The pruning of the American sedan range has begun
- The pruning of the American sedan range that had been announced by American automakers has begun.
- The first models affected were the Buick La Crosse (which sold 15,527 units in 2018 compared to 20,161 in 2017), the Chevrolet Volt (which sold 18,306 units in 2018 compared to 20,349 in 2017),and the Ford Taurus (which sold 36,088 units in 2018 compared to 41,236 in 2017). The Chevrolet Impala (which sold 56,556 units in 2018 compared to 75,877 in 2017) and Cadillac CT6 (which sold 9,668 units in 2018 compared to 10,542 in 2017) are enjoying a respite , but their fate seems to be sealed, as their low sales volume compared to their competitors no longer justifies their survival.
- The shutdown of the Chevrolet Cruze (which sold 142,617 units in 2018 compared to 184,751 in 2017) and Ford Focus (which sold 113,345 units in 2018 compared to 158,385 in 2017) is more questionable, as these models had a good volume of sales last year and were at the heart of the American sedan market.
- The discontinuation of these models, which are especially popular with rental companies, could benefit models from Korean and Japanese generalist brands, particularly Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, Hyundai Elantra and Kia Forte, which already have very high sales volumes, since most are in the top 10 sedans on the market.
- American automakers want to focus on more profitable vehicles, such as SUVs and pick-ups, which account for the bulk of sales in the United States.
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